-
- P33B-2645: Metamorphism May Power Methanogenesis at Europa
-
Board 2645‚ Hall EFG (Poster Hall)NOLA CC
Author(s):Generic 'disconnected' Message
Kevin Trinh, California Institute of Technology, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences (First Author, Presenting Author)
Grayson Boyer, Arizona State University
Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert, Arizona State University
Everett Shock, Arizona State University
Life as we know it requires at least three things: liquid water, nutrients, and energy. Europa, a moon of Jupiter, almost certainly has a subsurface ocean of liquid salt water. However, the presence of life-essential nutrients and energy at Europa’s ocean is less clear. Recent studies using computer models predict that Europa may have a hydrated seafloor with limited or no volcanism, which may prevent chemical processes that would otherwise support life. While the NASA Europa Clipper spacecraft will arrive at the Jupiter system in the year 2030, the potential habitability of Europa’s ocean is still in question. Here we point to an alternative candidate mechanism to promote habitability in Europa’s ocean. “Hydrated rocks” contain minerals with oxygen and hydrogen. After warming up to sufficiently high temperatures, these rocks release hot (and sometimes supercritical) fluid from the rocky mantle. The mixture of this rock-derived and ocean fluid at the seafloor creates a chemical gradient, which might create conditions suitable for life as we know it. This abstract explores how methanogens—microbes that extract energy from their environment by producing methane—could survive in our hypothesized seafloor environment.
Scientific DisciplineNeighborhoodType
Enter Note
Go to previous page in this tab
Session
